“CM Devendra Fadnavis is keen to keep the home and urban development ministries and offered the revenue ministry to Eknath Shinde. The BJP is also trying to persuade DCM Ajit Pawar to take some other portfolio like housing, agriculture etc instead of the finance ministry. The BJP is of the view that as it’s the single largest party with 132 seats, it should keep the key portfolios like home, urban development, finance to create its own stamp over the government. The back and forth discussion regarding this has delayed the portfolio allocations to DCMs and cabinet expansion as well,” said a BJP leader requesting anonymity.Shiv Sena leader Gulabrao Patil confirmed that the party wants the home ministry, adding that as the Mahayuti is a three-party government, the three party leaders will sit together and resolve the matter amicably. He said portfolio allocation and cabinet expansion will be resolved in the next couple of days.Meanwhile, Fadnavis had planned to visit Nagpur on December 12 and 13, but both scheduled meetings were cancelled due to the discussions over portfolio allocation and cabinet expansion.The Maharashtra assembly’s winter session in Nagpur is scheduled from December 16, so it is expected that the portfolio allocations and cabinet expansion will take place before that.
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